Steven Schleuder was born February 13,1988 in Southfield, Michigan. He is 13 years old, weighing in at 105 lbs. He is 5 feet 4 inches tall ( and has not been on growth hormone). Steve enjoys reading, running, soccer, video gaming, basketball, watching movies and listening to music. He is finishing sixth grade as a hardworking A, B student. Math is his hardest subject. Steve has a few close friends and enjoys their company. His passion is playing soccer.
Cystinosis Bio:
Steve was diagnosed with Infantile Cystinosis at 18 months of age after seven months of many doctors visits to determine his illness. He was started on cysteamine at about 20 months of age. (He has been very compliant with the cysteamine throughout his life.) The next four years were up and down, two steps forward and one step back, filled with many hospitalizations. He had a broviac central line catheter for nine months, and a G-tube for eight years. (His parents strongly feel the G-tube saved his life allowing nutrition and medications to be given hassle free). From 6 to 9 years of age he was stable; it was great. At nine his kidneys began to rapidly fail necessitating a kidney transplant which he had in June of 1999 at the age of 11. His mom was the donor. Since then he has been very stable with only a few minor problems, CMV and a mild acute rejection episode. This last year has been the best healthwise of his life! He looks forward to his future with optimisim and enjoys every minute of his life. His goal at the moment is to tryout for and make the seventh grade boys soccer team next fall.